Wish List for Transport Fever 3

[MegeGabe]

Here are 15 things that I would like to see from a future "Transport Fever 3," "Urban Fever," or whatever Urban Games may end up calling it

These are *not* things I wish to be added to TrF2, but things that I wish are *Vanilla* in the next game, *without* having to rely on mods
Similar to how C:S2 changed their game in a way that practically included several community mods such as "Move It!" but with Paradox putting a spin on it in their own unique way/much more cohesive with the rest of the game

As Zapp has pointed out in the comments:
""You can mod it" is NOT an acceptable reply to a wish for more core functionality!"

Onto the list...
____________________

1: Whether, seasons, and a day/night cycle

2: Larger maps

3: Multiplayer (Perhaps different players being able to control other companies?)

4: AI Companies & Routes (competition (Having to pay to run on other companies
right-of-way?))

5: Realistic scaling of roads and infrastructure (See C:S2 for example)

6: Station modules having the ability to be curved & more station customization (Curved
stations were an official mod in TrF1, after all)

7: Finer control of terrain + Fewer terrain artifacts (Lots of artifacts near and around tunnels as an example)

8: Ability to receive & send passengers & cargo in/out of the map (Flying passengers into
an airport as an example)

9: Ability to turn off automatic train flipping once finished at a station + support for end-
of-line loops
9b: Fix lines bugging out when you attempt to have the same station concurrently when you try having to unload from one direction and load from another direction once turning
around)

10: A more extensive variety of signals, including signal bridges and cantilevers, and the game-supporting signal aspects and yellow lights

11: Even more locomotives that are not already included currently in vanilla TrF2 (Berkshire 2-8-4, Yellowstone 2-8-8-4, Mallet Mogul 2-6-6-2, Reading type 4-4-4, and Hudson Type
4-6-4. To name a few examples)

12: Intermodal/Shipping containers, well cars, container ships, and intermodal harbor rail
terminal
12b: Support for combination stations where one form of cargo/passenger transit can
unload and load directly onto another form of transit
12c: Perhaps having a single "Station" asset, you can place all types of modules from air, sea, and rail. Being able to make a massive multi-use cargo terminal.
Having it all look cohesive and not a mismatch of multiple different stations with varying colors of platforms (My OCD kills me looking at that)

13: Other gauges of railed transportation (Narrow gauge, metros, etc.)
13b: Give trams the same placement system as regular train tracks

14: Finer road controls
14b: The ability to add and remove lanes on a lane-by-lane basis with a similar
placement system as tracks
14c: Snapping! Snapping to 90s and 45s, road guidelines, etc.
14d: Support for modders adding different colored edge lanes for roads.

15: A completely optional "Hardcore mode" where:
15b: There are realistic train derailments and accidents if they were to signal their rail lines incorrectly
15c: You need to set the speed limits on tracks manually, and if you place it too high, accidents can/will happen

[Tsubame ⭐]

What's up with everyone creating their own wishlist thread...

Anyway, scaling in the game is ok. Just that there are not a lot of large buildings in the base game, which can be addressed via mods and detailing.

CS2 has scaling issues of its own. In particular, railway transport infrastructure is pitifully small, and much worse than TpF.

Most of the rest are reasonable. Multiplayer + AI would make sense once the implementation of competing companies and related features like price adjustments, different services offered, etc. are created.

Some of the suggestions are already available as mods, such as gauge tracks.

[MegeGabe]

Originally posted by Tsubame ⭐:

Some of the suggestions are already available as mods, such as gauge tracks.

Yeah, but this is a wish list for it to be in stock/vanilla TrF3, not having to go through mods to have these things
Like how C:S2 changed their games in a way that practically included a number of community mods such as "Move It!" in Paradox's own unique way

[nordstern]

I would also like to see a more realistic scaling. Not the cities itself. The distances between the cities. To make train and plane traffic more immersive. The current map is to small to do so, because the amount of industries makes problems. If you play with lesser cities the complexity is very small and you can EPEC all cities relativly fast.

A map double the current size would be nice.
In this, i would like to see bigger stations and auto-signaling.

I would like to see underground city-traffic like metros. And also stops for stations. Currently if a bus stops on a station, it blocks the whole traffic, because their are no lay-bys in the game.

I would also like to see that their are more differences between the trains. Currently pollution does not matter. And steam locs are better than nearly all others. Because they are.. for their power... cheap in maintance. But thats not correct. Their were reasons why steam-locs were canceled towards diesel and currently electric trains.
The reasons were pollution, maintance (steam was very expensive here), energy efficiency and the breaks for refilling water/coal... diesel and better tractation, etc. Currently the best trains you can have are the last steam trains. Their is no reason for a long, long time to upgrade them.

I also would like to see more vehicles in the game. And more things to do. Currently you build up and wait, wait until enough money to build new ones or upgrade/optimize. Maybe more compley logistic so you do not need 1-2 goods/product. Or more administrative options. For example buy factories and give them upgrades to build cheaper, etc. Or more expenses in stations because of emplyees their.

I would also like to see that modern stuff gets more expansive. I know that the game wants to ignore inflation, because higher costs are compensated with higher earnings. But also new stuff gets more expansive because their is more technic inside. A manual switch is much less expansice than a digital switch for example. Or a train-station build today is more expansive than one build in the 1990s because of the electronics.

[6toros6]

My wish list is completely independent of this. I will trade all these 15 points for these:
1) The player decides where to build new industries and buildings, based on location of raw materials
2) The workers and materials to build new buildings must be provided by the player
3) The player must also keep the cities' markets full of food, water, etc. Otherwise, population will die.
4) More detailed city transportation with traffic patterns (rush hours, etc).

Most in the line of WR:Soviet Republic but without the shortcomings of that game: people doesn't have fixed jobs there (they work in a different random place each day), they teleport back home when they finish working, etc.

[Zapp]

Originally posted by MegeGabe:

Here are 15 things that I would like to see from a future "Transport Fever 3," "Urban Fever," or whatever Urban Games may end up calling it

These are *not* things I wish to be added to TrF2, but things that I wish are *Vanilla* in the next game, *without* having to rely on mods

Yes, this is important.

A function supported by the developers as is will always work better and be more integrated in the overall game, than some mod.

"You can mod it" is NOT an acceptable reply to a wish for more core functionality!

Anyway, I've divided your suggestions into three groups:

2: Larger maps

5: Realistic scaling of roads and infrastructure (See C:S2 for example)

6: Station modules having the ability to be curved & more station customization (Curved
stations were an official mod in TrF1, after all)

8: Ability to receive & send passengers & cargo in/out of the map (Flying passengers into
an airport as an example)

9: Ability to turn off automatic train flipping once finished at a station + support for end-
of-line loops

10: A more extensive variety of signals, including signal bridges and cantilevers, and the game-supporting signal aspects and yellow lights

12: Intermodal/Shipping containers, well cars, container ships, and intermodal harbor rail
terminal

Number 2 (larger maps) is integral to the ability to make the game anywhere close to realistic. So many things can't be done when trains travel so little between stops.

Number 5 is one of the things that sort of work if #2 is done. I can otherwise understand they wanted a clear bright look.

6: curved stations would be nice.

8: off-map portals is a staple of model railroads and such simulations, and it's frankly baffling why this game doesn't have them already.

9: the game does support trains that run both ways, there's even a little double-sided arrow that tells you a train won't magic flip. This needs to be user controlled, so you can turn on and off "magic flip" on a train-to-train basis.

10: Yes!!

12: Container traffic is essential if you want to claim you support transportation in the modern era.

To this I need to add a specific point, let's call it number 16:

Cargo stations that load/unload a single car at a time while the train is driving (very) slowly forward. The idea for a cargo train to stop at a platform simply can't be the only method the game offers!

1: Whether, seasons, and a day/night cycle

3: Multiplayer (Perhaps different players being able to control other companies?)

4: AI Companies & Routes (competition (Having to pay to run on other companies
right-of-way?))

7: Finer control of terrain + Fewer terrain artifacts (Lots of artifacts near and around tunnels as an example)

9b: Fix lines bugging out when you attempt to have the same station concurrently when you try having to unload from one direction and load from another direction once turning
around)

11: Even more locomotives that are not already included currently in vanilla TrF2 (Berkshire 2-8-4, Yellowstone 2-8-8-4, Mallet Mogul 2-6-6-2, Reading type 4-4-4, and Hudson Type
4-6-4. To name a few examples)

12b: Support for combination stations where one form of cargo/passenger transit can
unload and load directly onto another form of transit
12c: Perhaps having a single "Station" asset in which you can place all types of modules from air, sea, and rail. Being able to make a massive multi-use cargo terminal.

13: Other gauges of railed transportation (Narrow gauge, metros, etc.)

13b: Give trams the same placement system as regular train tracks

14: Finer road controls (Have road lanes be placed on a lane-by-lane basis with a similar
placement system as tracks)
14b: Support for modders adding different colored edge lanes for roads.

I can't say any of these are essential to me, but hey, it's your list. Personally I hope these things only appear after the ones in the first part above.

15: Train derailments & Accidents

This is dangerous to wish for. Of course I don't mind if you CAN press buttons to make disasters happen, but we should definitely not ask for constant regular mishaps.

Why?

Because the point is to require manual intervention, and as your map and your network grows, what at first appears as cute and interesting very quickly becomes a repetitive chore.

Any feature that can make trains stop running automatically needs to be VERY OPTIONAL, and per default be turned very much off.

I must confess I see the lack of collision detection and crash animations as a relief in TF2. Since there is no code it can never become a problem. Whew!

(Probably not worth the hassle at all, but, again, this is your list)

[Tsubame ⭐]

Originally posted by 6toros6:

My wish list is completely independent of this. I will trade all these 15 points for these:
1) The player decides where to build new industries and buildings, based on location of raw materials
2) The workers and materials to build new buildings must be provided by the player
3) The player must also keep the cities' markets full of food, water, etc. Otherwise, population will die.
4) More detailed city transportation with traffic patterns (rush hours, etc).

Most in the line of WR:Soviet Republic but without the shortcomings of that game: people doesn't have fixed jobs there (they work in a different random place each day), they teleport back home when they finish working, etc.

1) You can already do that through sandbox.
2) Custom mini chains can also be done through sandbox. Not sure why limit supply to your own company as people can drive or use other unseen companies to get the job done.
3) Fully disagree. This is one mechanic where this game is much better than Railway Empire, where towns somehow die when you stop supplying them. You are not god, and cities should not depend much on you to grow, especially post early 20th century and the growth of private vehicular traffic.
4) I do agree with this one, but this is contingent on a change to slower paced day to day mechanics, like A-Train, as opposed to a fast paced year after year gameplay that we currently have.

[6toros6]

1) No. Since it must have economic consequences. I look for a raw materials and build primary industries and then, decide where to build secondary industries, and expand but based on the money I have.
2) Again, the problem is that those decisions must be dynamic and based on your economic situation. Of course those transportation could be done by car or by other companies, or not. If not, it can be done by the player if it's economically viable.
3) Well. It's your point of view. But to me, it's quite unreasonable that you can make a city grow when providing goods (general goods, but that's another problem) and the city is capable of keeping itself alive if you stop providing them. Why didn't they grow in the first place by themselves provided "post early 20th century and the growth of private vehicular traffic". If the player's actions influence the world in one direction, it should do the same in the other, I guess.
4) Agreed.

[Tsubame ⭐]

Building new industries would make sense if the game implemented subsidiaries. It would be a nice change, but they would have to add extra revenue of their own - not just the ability to supply you with materials - for this to make sense.

As for city growth, this argument only makes sense if your company alone were the only one managing transportation in and out of every town, and if every material required in for town growth was contained inside the map.

But in the real world, multiple companies do provide competing service, and with private traffic, everyone can pretty much do that by themselves. Furthermore, much if not most of the supplies required for town upkeep and growth may come outside the map - i.e. Workshop maps based in real world locations. This could be another area to expand in itself, out of bounds traffic, like CS2 has, though.

There is already a decent enough relationship between freight supply and town growth, personally I do not think more is needed. This allows players with different likes to focus on different transportation methods, like passenger only.

[Chevalier_Montrachet]

4: AI Companies & Routes (competition (Having to pay to run on other companies
right-of-way?))

I would add: the ability to invest into your opponent's companies and to earn monthly based on the amount of shares you hold up to buying them off completely.

And having the option to buy factories and potentially businesses to become a tycoon :)))!

And what about taxes? Why not having to build some fake companies where you can hide your profits and potentially team up with the mafia? :D

[Revy106]

Originally posted by MegeGabe:

1: Whether, seasons, and a day/night cycle

2:Ability to receive & send passengers & cargo in/out of the map (Flying passengers into
an airport as an example)

3: Larger maps

4: AI Companies & Routes (competition (Having to pay to run on other companies
right-of-way?))

5: Multiplayer (Perhaps different players being able to control other companies?)

5: Realistic scaling of roads and infrastructure (See C:S2 for example)

6: Finer control of terrain + Fewer terrain artifacts (Lots of artifacts near and around tunnels as an example)

7: Ability to turn off automatic train flipping once finished at a station + support for end-
of-line loops
9b: Fix lines bugging out when you attempt to have the same station concurrently when you try having to unload from one direction and load from another direction once turning
around)

11: Even more locomotives that are not already included currently in vanilla TrF2 (Berkshire 2-8-4, Yellowstone 2-8-8-4, Mallet Mogul 2-6-6-2, Reading type 4-4-4, and Hudson Type
4-6-4. To name a few examples)

12: Intermodal/Shipping containers, well cars, container ships, and intermodal harbor rail
terminal
12b: Support for combination stations where one form of cargo/passenger transit can
unload and load directly onto another form of transit
12c: Perhaps having a single "Station" asset, you can place all types of modules from air, sea, and rail. Being able to make a massive multi-use cargo terminal.
Having it all look cohesive and not a mismatch of multiple different stations with varying colors of platforms (My OCD kills me looking at that)

14: Finer road controls (Have road lanes be placed on a lane-by-lane basis with a similar
placement system as tracks)
14b: Support for modders adding different colored edge lanes for roads.

15: A completely optional "Hardcore mode" where:
15b: There are realistic train derailments and accidents if they were to signal their rail lines incorrectly
15b: You need to set the speed limits on tracks manually, and if you place it too high, accidents can/will happen

Thats my take on your list, your list is pretty much spot on and what a lot of people have been asking for since Train fever (Mainly day/night/weather) oh and multiplayer seems to be a big one.

[Johnjustjohn]

The world is a big place, fortunately my needs are small. I want to be able to drop a train station on straight track and have it integrate automatically instead of having to demo existing track.

I guess it is snapping, but I want roads to align to factories automatically. If you demo the roadway to build new, you think you have it at the right spot, but you're too close or too far away.

[Zapp]

Originally posted by Tsubame ⭐:

Building new industries would make sense if the game implemented subsidiaries. It would be a nice change, but they would have to add extra revenue of their own - not just the ability to supply you with materials - for this to make sense.

Or, of course, if you start on a map with only one industry.

Then you would have all the motivation you need to spend your profits from servicing that industry on building more industries, since otherwise you would have no opportunities to make higher profits from cargo.

On a map that veritably spams industries (like most maps generated on vanilla settings) you can nearly always just find and service an existing industry instead.

[Zapp]

Originally posted by Chevalier_Montrachet:

I would add: the ability to invest into your opponent's companies and to earn monthly based

Railroad Tycoon did this. Can't say how realistic it was, but it was fun.

[Hellfish6]

Originally posted by Zapp:

Originally posted by Chevalier_Montrachet:

I would add: the ability to invest into your opponent's companies and to earn monthly based

Railroad Tycoon did this. Can't say how realistic it was, but it was fun.

I think its still legal today

[Hellfish6]

And my current big wish list ask... better mod list organization. I'd like the ability to add country tags (not continent tags - If I want to play with Japanese assets, I shouldn't have to hunt for them under the "Asia" tag). Also helps with the former Soviet Union assets that are widely available - all too often they're tagged with "Asia" and/or "Europe." Having an "FSU" or "Russia" or "Eastern Europe" tag would be helpful.

Additionally, a "Subscribed/downloaded" date/time column would be nice. I all too often don't remember what workshop mods I just subscribed to - especially if it was multiple mods - so an ability to sort them by date/time would be super helpful.